Blog Charaku

We're pleased to advise our new local web site, hope not too much is lost in English translation
http://locoplace.jp/t000131276/

We wish a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012 to all our customers, family and friends.
We feel indebted to our international friends for all of the well wishes and support received since the Tohoku earthquake or the Great East Japan earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear power station meltdowns that occurred on March 11, 2011.
Life is still very difficult for the residents of the Iwate Prefecture and specifically the Sendai area which was impacted by the brunt of the disaster, especially those living in or close to Miyako. However Japanese people are close neighbours to disaster and cope with dignity, resourcefulness and empathy from their fellows. We can’t bring back the loss of loved ones and instantly recreate livelihoods and homes but we can offer our services, immediate supply needs and hope for the future.
At home, here in Sapporo, life has been kinder. Our Australian (‘Aussie’), style cafe is progressing well; the English language learning centre is a success and Japanese green tea sales are weathering the storm.
We opened the cafe at dawn to see the first sunrise of the year. It was a rewarding and optimistic experience.

Weight Loss – 22kg (49lbs) in 16 months
Some of you may remember my blog of July 27, last year, heralding what I thought then was the great achievement of losing 10kg in 3 months.
Thirteen months later I’m delighted to report a weight loss of 22kg. I now weigh in at a stable 87kg (192lbs), an ideal weight for my 195cm (6’5”) height.
I attribute this mainly to trading beverages from red wine and beer (which I still occasionally enjoy), to Japanese green tea.
Japanese green tea can’t take all the credit of course, though its regular drinking has helped to instill a certain discipline to my life. Other factors include a regular morning walk through the forest with Mr. Rooney, our American Cocker Spaniel, cutting snacks from my diet and becoming less sedentary by cooking in our newly opened café for a few hours a day.
Autumn (or fall, if you prefer)
“SEASON of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;” Keats
Autumn in Sapporo lives up to that magnificent observation. My morning walks through the forest are over a carpeted treasure of red, yellow, gold and brown leaves. The smell is pungent and the fungi abundant. The seasons are so important to the Japanese and their way of life. There is so much home grown produce here and as the seasons change so do the daily menus offering a variety of life that our grandparents so enjoyed.
So members and friends please continue to enjoy Japanese green tea and its health benefits and enjoy autumn, unless of course you’re ‘Downunder’ in which case enjoy your spring.
Ayers Rock Cafe
Yes, I know, I’ve been quiet for a few months.
Our new cafe venture is the reason. Our cafe is situated just outside of downtown Sapporo in Minami-ku (south ward); its half way up to Mt Moiwa, our local ski resort and affords a panoramic view from our windows and balcony of the mountains surrounding us. If you ever get to this beautiful part of the globe, maybe for winter sports or the ice sculptures each February please call in to say “Konnichiwa”, you’ll be regally treated and perhaps we can give you some good advice on what to do and where to visit to enhance your stay.

I think I can officially nominate this day, April 8, as the first real day of spring in Sapporo. Winter loosens its firm and cruel grip on our climate gradually but this morning at 5:30 am (no daylight saving here), the sun was streaming through the bedroom window; sky a cobalt blue and the mountains majestic. Superlatives fail to describe the snow-capped mountains surrounding us in South Sapporo, their brilliant white against the backdrop of a metallic blue sky are just breathtaking. Every morning is just breathtaking. It’s a harsh climate here, white for 5 months of the year and bitterly cold at times but nature compensates so kindly. The remaining 7 months, starting today, are glorious. Our flora responds to the climate as only nature can engineer. The 3 months of ‘lost’ spring are made up for in one month of rapid growth. The snow hasn’t left us yet but the fruit trees are heavily budded and within another month will be shrouded in blossom and especially for the Japanese, cherry blossom, which is such a significant feature for the local culture inspiring all forms of the arts. Soon the city and suburban streets will be lined with colourful flower beds as the local governments issue seedlings to for planting. This is a community activity greeted with much enthusiasm and most Sapporo families will be involved, working with their neighbours, over the next few weeks and then from time to time as old stock is replaced by new. The seasons and the fruits and flora of the seasons are cherished and enjoyed as nature’s calendar provides.
For our family this is a busy time too, full of new energy and impetus. First we have to tidy up the house and garden after the months of enclosure. Then to business, which in our case is selling Japanese green tea. This year’s harvest is just a few weeks ago and anticipated with great excitement as the new tips become ready for picking and new strains can be processed and taste tested. This year our Kyoto grower is introducing a new tea, Kabuse cha (covered tea), which has been developed with the assistance of the Japanese Department of Agriculture to provide a smoother and less astringent taste to add a variety of appeal to the global tea market.
We have some additional excitement this year with our soon to opened Aussie theme café. No, it’s not just meat pies and tomato sauce, though they’re on the menu. The concept is modern Australian cuisine reflecting what many Australians cook and enjoy at home. As Australia enjoys migrants from most, if not all countries and therefore, their culinary culture, the menu is interesting and constantly evolving.

Charaku is pleased to present two new Houji-cha tea (roasted green tea) products.
Apart from Sencha, Houji-cha is another popular kind of green tea in Japan. Tea leaves for producing Houji-cha are usually late-harvested leaves or twigs. Compared to other kind of Japanese green teas, Houji-cha is dried at a high temperature and roasted on a charcoal fire, therefore it is characterised by its unique roast-aroma and its red-brown infusion. Because Houji-cha contains a low amount of catechin, it is no astringent but has a soothing taste. Houji-cha is especially favoured as an after-dinner drink in Japan.

Super Premium Houji-Cha
This tea is produced in Kyoto-Uji using Sencha tea leaves harvested in Watsuka and Asamiya (Kyoto). This is a super premium quality Houji-cha with strong roast aroma. Its superb aroma and fine taste has won this tea a fine reputation and it has been used for serving customers in famous and traditional Japanese style hotels and restaurants in Kyoto.

Premium Houji-cha
Produced in Kyoto-Uji. It has a very nice roasted aroma with a mild nutty flavour. This tea is suitable for a summer drink too, being chilled in fridge after brewing.

Girl's Day

March 3rd is called ‘hina-matsuri’. It’s a day when it’s customary for the family with a daughter(s) to prominently display hina (dolls) and miniature trimmings depicting a traditional theme and to wish for the girls to grow healthily. This photo depicts an emperor’s wedding. It’s a large display, taking up a corner of the family room and traditionally passed down from the grandmother on the mother’s side of the family. As Hina-matsuri approaches preschool children make dolls out of paper and clay and sing traditional songs. Most homes with a young daughter will also feast, inviting relations and friends. It seems that Girl’s Day is for girls of all ages to enjoy. My mother-in-law still goes to the trouble of assembling this display even though her daughters are mature and left the nest many years ago.
Boy’s day comes in ‘Golden Week’ in May; I’ll write more about it then.

Host Clubs
One of my English language students brought this phenomenon to my notice; it’s a kind of ‘geisha’ role reversal wherein well dressed, impeccably mannered and articulate young men lavish their attentions on women in a club environment. These young men, however, have not been through anything like the rigours of the years of geisha training in culture, the arts and conversation.
Noriko, my student, has a boyfriend living in Tokyo; she’s recently had a rift with him over his consistent answer of “whenever” to her more pertinent questions, maybe that’s what lured her to the Host Club. She attended with a friend at about 10:30pm after eating out. The club was difficult to find so they were met on the street and guided to the doorway. On entering the club there were 4-5 young men at reception; one led them to the table and poured them sake. The fee for 1 ½ hours was 2000yen, about $20, including drinks, which considering they had 3 – 4 drinks in that time seems quite reasonable. During their time at the table a series of “suitors” introduced themselves and sat with the girls, taking care of small detail like topping up glasses, lighting cigarettes and engaging in “small-talk”. Each man left his name card, with a photo and contact details. If one of the men had “caught the eye” of the guest and she wanted to stay and chat with him, if he was available, then the fee was 1500yen for each subsequent ½ an hour. Noriko didn’t stay but she left with a collection of 10 name cards which she’s bringing around to show us at dinner tomorrow night; I think Noriko and my wife will enjoy tabling the ‘possibilities”.
Which brings me to the subject of Love Hotels; these establishments are scattered throughout Japan. They provide, so I’m told, tastefully furnished and comfortable rooms, for the purpose of which the name implies, at an hourly rate. Used mainly by young lovers and romantic trysts (again, so I’m told).

Last year, was my first Valentine’s Day and I wrote “Did I die and go to heaven? This is a fabulous day for the men folk of Japan. Today it is the female of the species that pampers her mate with chocolate temptations. Males can just relax and enjoy the attention, for a month at least, next month it’s our turn to reciprocate on ‘White’ Day.
Today my green tea experience will be embellished by that other special gift from nature, the product of the cocoa bean, a sublime combination.”
This year, this morning in fact, whilst I was holding an English language session with a student I learnt more. She told me that she had bought chocolate gifts not only for her husband but for her son and father too, and that this is quite common. Furthermore there is a new trend in Japan called “Tomochoco”, Tomo meaning friend and choco is self explanatory, wherein women are beginning to gift each other and workmates on Valentine’s Day.
It seems here that Valentine’s Day is becoming Japan’s Easter as far as chocolate consumption is concerned.
I hope our tea-drinking friends here can still kindle a spark of romance next Sunday.

Well what an amusing day I had last Saturday.
It's a week before the 'Sapporo Snow Festival' starts in earnest but a close neighbour gave me an unexpected preview.
I first noticed him yesterday beavering away clearing the snow from his front driveway. By afternoon I thought he was a bit intense and that his discarded snow heap was growing in size. Later he seemed to patting it down with some affection and it was beginning to form a dome like shape, taller than him. This called for the binoculars for an up close inspection from the bowels of our second bedroom to avoid accusations of peeping.
Then I noticed that he was carving out an arched doorway. I thought he must have had a squabble with 'Her Indoors' and was preparing himself a 'dog house' for the night.
But no, he carefully placed a statuette in his 'shrine' and embellished it with head-wear and shawls. According to Ayano, my partner, it has no religious significance so it must just have been his creative way to spend a Saturday and why not? I must say that last night, when he illuminated it with a candle placed behind the figurine that it looked quite beautiful.

This is my second winter in beautiful Sapporo, the capital of Japan’s northern ‘Wilderness’ island of Hokkaido. Last winter I was incapacitated and unable to fully appreciate this very new (after 40 years living in Australia), climate for me. This winter is one of wonder and discovery. Winter can be breathtakingly beautiful.

Driving around with snow above the car roof on either side can be disconcerting akin to the bob-sleigh experience I would imagine, certainly exciting enough.

Until recently I’ve been taking ‘Mr Rooney’ our American Cocker Spaniel for early morning and mid-afternoon walks through the forest. He started to come home like a giant snowball and needed to be thawed in a warm bath to rediscover him. Now the snow is too deep to even consider the forest walk so I’m back to walking the streets. The other morning after a particularly heavy snowfall there was the eerie experience, in the half light of dawn, of our neighbours, several of them, busy as beavers shovelling snow from their driveways and footpaths in the total silence of the soft blanket that had covered the streetscape overnight.

I emailed my sisters in Australia about the experience; one replied that she could “almost hear the silence of the snow”. There’s poetry here somewhere, I’m sure someone must have captured it in verse.

Carol Nall has mailed us this delicious reading recipe, thank you Carol

East Meets West Holiday Green Tea Ice Cream

1 pint heavy cream

2 Tablespoons Matcha

3 Tablespoons powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

4 ounces packaged frozen dark sweet cherries ( about 1/3 of a package), chopped


DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat until very thick.

Fold in the chopped frozen berries. Pour mixture into desired container and pop into freezer.

Wait approximately 45 minutes. Remove ice cream from freezer and break up crystals with a
metal spoon working from the outside edges in, gently folding over. Repeat this every 30 minutes until ice cream is of desired consistency.

Simply Yummy!